“There will be no hidden agenda, no spin, no secrecy. Accountability and transparency will the principles that underpin our government," Mr Baillieu said. “What you will see is what you will get.

“We know that Victorians have given us a mandate to make change, a mandate for reform and we will be getting on with that task. But we also understand that Victorian families want to know what affects their daily lives because Victorian families are really best placed to make judgments about what’s in their own interests and how the cost of living can be kept down.

“I want to reassure all Victorians that there will be no radical or sudden changes. We will be taking a common sense and sensible approach to running this state.

Mr Baillieu said the new government would tackle escalating debt, problems with small regional councils, cost of living rises and hospital bed shortages.

“We’ve sought to spell out a clear plan to fix these problems over the last few years and we will be focused on implementing those plans.

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“I’ve made it clear to our team, and we’ve met yesterday for some time, that we have to work hard, be humble and take a highly professional approach to dealing with these issues and to governing Victoria.

“Over the last few years we’ve identified the key problems in this state and we set out solutions to fix these problems.

“We are very aware of the problems, whether alcohol-fuelled violence, anti-social behaviour in the city and some of our major regional centres."

“In the immediate term we will be looking at the community safety issues, meeting with the Victoria Police, liaising with Victoria Police and advancing our plan for additional police officers on the streets and ... protective services officers on the public transport network.

“We will be moving quickly to set up the Public Transport Authority, bringing together all those entities which currently have responsibility for the transport system.

“We will be quickly injecting funds into the maintenance program that’s obviously gone missing in recent years. We will be immediately reviewing the myki contract.

“We hope we will be commencing discussions with the federal government and exposing the content of the deal insofar as the future of Victorian families in the health system and if necessary we will be seeking to renegotiate the agreement."

Other issues on the agenda included shutting down the controversial north-south pipeline.

“Albeit, that nothing has flowed down the north-south pipeline for months," Mr Baillieu quipped. “I look forward to (Benalla Nationals MP) Bill Sykes being with me on the day."

Removal of clearway restrictions are also marked as a priority, Mr Baillieu said, along with overturning existing planning laws “that shut out communities and condemn our city to a Sydney-like approach to planning".

He said he respects the contribution outgoing premier John Brumby has made to Victoria. He said he had spoken with Mr Brumby at length on Monday night.

“John has served this state at the highest levels of public office for 11 years and his is a remarkable legacy. Anyone who has held high office in this state knows the sacrifices that are required to do so.

“John’s made those sacrifices and by any measure John Brumby has been an extraordinary contributor to our state.

“I want to acknowledge that and I want to acknowledge his service as a member of parliament, as Opposition Leader, as Treasurer and as Premier and he has good call to be proud. I respect his contribution and I will honour his contribution."

National Party leader and new Deputy Premier
Peter Ryan
said the Coalition had a lot to live up to in government.

“It is our intention to live up to the expectations we have created during the course of the past years and particularly during the course of the election. Today we set off into a new era on behalf of all Victorians."

Mr Ryan said the National party’s 10 legislative assembly seats were the party’s strongest representation in the Victorian parliament since 1985.

“Today (Tuesday) we step off into a new era on behalf of all Victorians. The city of Melbourne is surely one of the great capitals of the world. For those of us that live beyond its boundaries we are intent as a party ... in ensuring that the regional parts of the state do receive their fair share of what is available through government resources.

“We are strong supporters of local enterprise, of the small business sector in particular. We are the local champions for the regions and we do intend that in the course of our governance to grow our communities in a way that will contribute to all Victoria."

Mr Baillieu said he had met with Prime Minister
Julia Gillard
on several occasions and has had no “personal issues" with her.

“We’ve had some lengthy discussions about education policy and particularly the BER (Building Education Revolution).

“I got into her ear on that occasionally in the past, I have found her relatively straight-forward to deal with in that sense."

Mr Baillieu said on policy issues, the new government would examine the National Health Reform agreements.

“My predecessor went to Canberra with an ambition at one level and came back with just 20 per cent of that ambition. We want to know what’s in the deal for Victoria and even the final signatures on Melbourne Cup Day have not led us to much greater detail."

Mr Baillieu said the new government would look to recall parliament in the week before Christmas.

He said he expects his cabinet to be in place by the end of this week. “We will have a party meeting tomorrow and confirm who our members of parliament are and indeed confirm our leadership. But from that we will confirm our ministry then I would anticipate the swearing in of ministers by the end of the week.